HSV: No Corvette but Camaro ZL1 on the cards

Corvette ruled out but supercharged Camaro might make it.

HSV: No Corvette but Camaro ZL1 on the cards

08 Dec 2017Alex Rae

HSV is investigating performance car options beyond the recently-confirmed Camaro 2SS - but it won't be the new Chevrolet Corvette.

While HSV prepares for the introduction of three new models in 2018 – the Holden Colorado Sportscat and Chevrolet Camaro and Silverado – the Australian brand says it is working with partner Holden and its parent-company GM to investigate options for our market. And for now, the Corvette is not on that list.

“We’re using Camaro as our focus and it is the best for our marketplace and for opportunities, so Camaro is the one that we should be focusing on. We discuss all sorts of opportunities but we’re launching three platforms in six months and we need to be reasonable with the ground we can cover in a short amount of time.”

HSV’s contract will see it importing and converting 1000 Camaros a year for three years with the only variant confirmed so far, the 2SS, which is a higher-spec grade. HSV will not be making any modification to the Chevy-sourced Camaro and Silverado vehicles beyond re-building them to right-hand drive.

2017 Chevrolet Corvette Photo: Supplied

Both cars will remain Chevrolet products and wear the Bow Tie upfront, seeing the same branding enter HSV showrooms. Without any intervention on the performance side, Jackson says it leaves HSV with the hope to bring in the more potent Camaro ZL1 for an even hotter coupe.

“People know us as an enhancement house in many respects and there will be other vehicles in the range that will continually be enhanced. But where it probably feels a little bit disingenuous for us to go ‘well we changed the Camaro let's call it a HSV’ I don’t think that’s the right way to approach it.

“And there’s that much within the range that if you look at the Camaro ZL1 we’re better off trying to spend our energy trying to get that product in than trying to take a 340kw car to a 484kW car. It’s there as part of the approach,” Jackson said.

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The Camaro ZL1 outmuscles the 2SS’ 6.2-litre V8 by adding a supercharger to turn up power from 340kW and 615Nm to 484kW of power and 881Nm of torque. The result is 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds, 0.5 second faster than the Camaro 2SS available for sale in Australia next year.

Much of the work done on the Camaro conversion already will mean it is easy to convert other variants, but the ZL1 in particular is harder for HSV to get over the line than the naturally aspirated block.

“A lot of the work is carry over,” said Jackson.

“Typically, the biggest challenge comes to emissions and whether they are euro emissions compliant.

“In terms of the ZL1, there’s some emission challenges, so don’t hold your breath. Our focus is very much on 2SS.”

However, HSV plans on running up to five production lines, with the Camaro, Silverado, Colorado and current contracts with ASV to convert ram trucks taking up four slots. But further iterations can stem from them.

“There will be more product coming, that is very much our intent. And this is the beginning not the end.

“I would see four or five main platforms that we’ll be working on and they can spawn other products that we can bring to market, without investing significant dollars.”

Beyond the ZL1 and four-cylinder and V6 engine Camaros available from the US, a 1LE track-pack is available for the SS that adds track-ready suspension, aerodynamic body parts, wider tyres, and extra cooling for the engine and driveline.